Chapter 13: Rondor’s Executioner – 1

“Uwaaa!!”

Valon charged, raising his wooden sword above his head.

Since the conversation with Vergor, their movements had definitely started to look different.

Before, I had only thought they were pitiful and reckless… but now I see that they just hadn’t been taught properly.

-Thud!

I swung my wooden two-handed sword upward, deflecting Valon’s attack.

That alone caused Valon to stagger, his stance collapsing, revealing a glaring weakness—perfect for attacking.

But instead of attacking Valon, I looked at Vergor, who was watching me from above.

He, too, was observing my decision.

…I don’t know what he expects from me.

I’m still too hasty when it comes to making peace with others.

Valon, who had been knocked down, staggered as he got back on his feet.

“…You bastard.”

He spat the curse bitterly, looking around as if exchanging signals with someone.

“Die!!”

“Here we go again!!”

“Uwaaa!!”

Three enemies charged at me at once.

Valon, Wallace, and Martin.

I calmed my surprised mind with a deep breath.

My father used to say, endlessly, that the calmer you are, the clearer you can see their attacks.

Judging by the order in which they were rushing at me, I needed to deal with Martin, then Wallace, and finally Valon.

“Hup!”

I swung my two-handed sword with all my weight behind it.

A stance I had repeated hundreds of times.

Retreating backward, I blocked their attacks in sequence.

Martin, perhaps feeling desperate, sped up and broke their formation.

I swung my sword fiercely at him as he came forward.

“Whoa!”

-Bang!

Martin raised his sword awkwardly, but the strong impact pushed him back.

As I tried to regain my posture, Wallace rushed toward me.

It was too late to respond with a swing.

Straightening my stance, I twisted my head to the side to avoid Wallace’s sword as it came flying toward my face.

-Whoosh!

His wooden sword grazed my ear as it passed by.

If it had hit, their faces would have been lit up with big smiles by now.

Just imagining it made the blood in my body run cold.

Valon also seized the moment.

Like before, he raised his wooden sword above his head, swinging it down toward me as if he were chopping wood.

It would have been far scarier if he was wielding an axe.

I pivoted on my left foot, dodging his attack, and used that rotational force.

As Martin prepared his next attack, my wooden sword struck the side of his neck, half a beat faster.

“Ugh!!”

With a groan, Martin dropped his sword.

I jumped up, stepping on Valon’s wooden sword, which had lodged in the ground, and slammed my knee into his exposed face.

-Whack!

The satisfying impact told me I had hit him cleanly.

Blood sprayed from Valon’s nose as his head snapped back.

He dropped his sword and fell backward.

I kicked the wooden sword lying on the ground toward Wallace, who was charging at me.

-Thunk!

Wallace clumsily blocked the flying wooden sword, but he couldn’t block my next attack.

My wooden sword plunged into his stomach nearly a hand’s breadth deep before pulling out.

“Gah!!”

Wallace, too, fell to the ground.

Martin crouched, clutching his shoulder, Valon was bleeding from his nose, and Wallace gasped for breath, clutching his stomach.

The fight, which had unfolded in the blink of an eye, finally drew the attention of those around us.

“Huff… huff…”

I looked at Vergor.

He had his hand on his forehead, shaking his head.

Seeing that, I clicked my tongue in frustration.

What does he expect me to do?

I can’t just stand there and take it when they keep coming at me.

But Vergor’s words had definitely shaken me.

Now that I thought about how they were the sons of bakers, fishermen, or farmers, the victory didn’t feel quite so sweet.

And when I imagined them later on as comrades on the battlefield, it felt even more unsettling.

In the end, I walked over to Valon.

“What… what do you want?”

He flinched, raising his arm in defense—a natural reaction after all the beatings he’d taken.

“…Get used to using an axe.”

“What?”

When I approached Wallace, who was still gasping for air, he glanced up at me with only his eyes.

“Use less strength in your attacks. You always end up staggering…”

“…Gah… huff…”

Lastly, there was Martin.

“…You just… never mind.”

The urge to give him advice suddenly vanished.

I couldn’t even understand why I was doing this.

They were the ones who had picked a fight with me first, always teasing and provoking me.

I put my two-handed wooden sword back in the wooden box in the centre of the training ground.

Then I left the scene.

The guards didn’t bother to stop me.

***

Baelor, the leader of the First Knights, was sitting in the knights’ hall.

Along with him were five lieutenants of the First Knights.

Todd spoke.

He was the second most influential voice in the First Knights after Baelor.

“Captain, don’t you think it’s time to make a decision?”

“How many times do I have to tell you that Lady Vivian is not an option?”

If conversations like this had leaked out when the Duke of Rondor was still alive, the entire First Knights would have been executed.

But not anymore.

The one leading them now was Vivian Rondor.

Vivian had no leadership, no charisma, and no power.

She couldn’t control the First Knights.

And the Second and Third Knights, too, were said to be harboring doubts about Vivian.

With the situation like that, who would stand up to the First Knights?

That’s why they could have such conversations freely now.

“We’re not betraying Rondor. This is a sign of our loyalty to Rondor. We need to quickly find a new lord who can lead Rondor.”

“Who?”

Baelor asked as he rolled a gold coin between his fingers.

Todd answered as if the answer was obvious.

“Robert Rondor.”

Robert Rondor was the younger brother of the Duke of Rondor.

Vivian Rondor’s uncle.

The lord of Nerumport, a harbour city to the west of Loctana.

He was one of the men who left the Rondor family as soon as the rightful heir, Lois Rondor, was born.

“If we keep dragging our feet, all of Rondor will crumble. We need someone strong and decisive. We can’t just sit around waiting for Lady Vivian to grow into the role, can we?”

Another lieutenant warned Todd.

“Todd, be careful with your words. We all think the same, but there’s no need to speak so harshly. Who knows who might hear?”

“If someone hears, what’s the problem?”

Todd shot back.

“We’re practically holding ourselves back from taking over the whole family, aren’t we?”

“-Todd.”

Baelor spoke slowly.

“…That’s enough.”

“…Captain.”

Baelor didn’t like Vivian either.

She couldn’t even sign the death warrants.

They were currently feeding and housing over twenty death row prisoners.

Just the thought of keeping those vermin alive made Baelor’s stomach churn.

Vivian had many flaws as a lord, but not having the guts to kill someone was one of the biggest.

How could she handle anything else if she couldn’t do that?

He understood that she was young.

That’s why they were being patient with her.

But that didn’t mean they had to be patient forever.

Rondor needed a leader, not a babysitter for Vivian.

According to Baelor’s informants, those loyal to Rondor are beginning to waver one by one.

Factions are splitting and breaking apart, with many seeking their own survival.

It’s said that even the subordinate families and vassals who swore loyalty are increasing their interactions with other families.

There’s no need to look far.

Even the 1st Knight Division is in a similar situation.

Todd fervently insists that someone other than Vivian should lead Rondor.

But still, Vivian is the Duke of Rondor’s daughter.

Could someone who betrays their lord’s daughter still be called a knight?

That thought gripped Baelor.

It’s not that Todd’s words didn’t make sense.

…Perhaps, as he said, standing idly by might be disloyalty to Rondor.

Thud.

Baelor lightly hit the desk and stood up.

First, he had to strategize the next expedition with Vergor, the leader of the Punishment Unit.

He didn’t want to dwell on these complicated matters for long.

Baelor finished the meeting and moved to meet Vergor.

***

Thanks to my troubled mind, I climbed a tree to rest at the training grounds.

Here, no one would find me, and I could avoid the eyes of the retainers who whispered behind my back.

The wind blew coolly, and the leaves provided shade.

It was the perfect place to rest.

Moreover, just watching people walk around below was a light form of entertainment.

It felt good, like I was spending peaceful time.

…Also, from here, I could occasionally see Vivian.

And sure enough, I saw a girl with red hair walking in the distance.

Vivian Rondor.

She was strolling with two guards around the castle.

It didn’t seem like she was looking for me today.

She wasn’t turning her head left and right like she was searching for something.

“…She’s disgustingly pretty.”

I muttered to myself once again.

No matter how many times I saw her, I couldn’t get used to her ever-changing expressions.

The pitiful aura surrounding her must have contributed to it.

She always gave off the feeling that it was dangerous to leave her alone.

Even now, walking around with just two guards seemed so pitiful.

The treasurers, spies, and even the chamberlain usually walk with at least three people.

Yet here was Vivian, the head of the Rondor family and lord of Loctana, walking with just two guards.

It felt like it reflected her position in this place.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Suddenly, the clanking sound of armor came from the opposite direction of Vivian.

Several knights were approaching with an intimidating presence.

I knew who it was.

The knight who dragged me from my hometown all the way to Loctana.

The one who warned me to bear witness to Rondor’s wrath.

I found out later that it was Baelor, the captain of the 1st Knight Division of Rondor.

I looked at Vivian again.

She froze in place, clutching her dress, and swallowed hard.

Even from a distance, I could tell she was nervous.

“…What the hell are you doing?”

I muttered as I watched her tense up.

There’s no one else who would be scared by the sight of their own knight division like Vivian.

That’s just how she was.

She shows a rough and angry side when she’s around me… but that’s only because her hatred toward me is so great.

When you really think about it, she’s just a scared, tearful noble lady who was raised in luxury.

“Sir, Sir Baelor. G-Good d”

Shh.

Baelor ignored Vivian’s timid greeting and kept walking.

Even I held my breath at his rudeness.

Or maybe it was seeing Vivian being ignored that made me freeze.

The knights following him did the same.

Not a single one saluted Vivian.

They treated the head of the family with complete disregard.

The guards and maids watching nearby all sensed the tension.

Vivian’s face grew redder and redder at the centre of it all.

Thud.

Then, Baelor, having passed by Vivian, stopped in place.

He turned his head to look at her.

The knights following him parted to the sides so Baelor’s gaze could reach Vivian.

Baelor took a long breath and spoke to her.

“…Could you stop stuttering?”

“…I… well… th-that’s…”

“How long are you going to keep doing this?”

I was stunned as I watched the scene.

“…Is he out of his mind?”

That’s not something a knight should say to the head of the family.

In our household, such behavior wouldn’t be tolerated.

Even if everything was taken from him and his knighthood revoked, it wouldn’t be an issue.

But Vivian just hung her head in shame.

Baelor watched her for a long time, sighed shallowly, and shook his head.

Then, he walked away again.

Vivian remained frozen in place, standing there blankly for a long while.

I watched her for a long time too.

Frustration simmered inside me.

“…Don’t… don’t follow me.”

Tap tap tap!!

Vivian said that to the guards and ran off somewhere.

The guards exchanged glances, unsure of what to do.

I had the feeling she was running off to cry again, and before I knew it, I was already climbing down from the tree.

Before I even understood what I was doing, my body was moving, chasing after her.

Once again today, I was taking another step into Vivian’s life.